I picked up the packet of smokes, took one out, and lit it.

I was about to put them back on the bedside cabinet, when she reached over and took the pack.

"I thought you only smoked when someone put a gun on you", she said, taking one out of the packet.

"I said, I smoke when there's a gun pulled on me. When there's a chance of death. Before a big one or after a little." I exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I thought you said it was a disgusting habit."

"Oh, it is", she said, lighting one with the practised touch of a seasoned smoker. That's why I quit. Mostly."

She put the pack on her bedside cabinet and we lay there, enjoying the silence.

I had to figure out what the next step was, but I didn't know where to begin. All I knew was that this case was bigger than one missing writer, and the stakes were much higher than I'd realised, even if he really did have The Plot.

We were in trouble, all right, and it was the sensible thing to do to lay low. But we couldn't lay low forever, no matter how tempting that might have been.

She leaned over me, her bare flesh pressing into me.

"Don't get any ideas", she said.

"Too late".

I just need the ashtray." She reached over and flicked the ash off the tip of her cigarette.

Just then there was a knock at the door, and she froze.

"Mr Jerk?" It was the kid from the desk, the one who took my car to be cleaned.

"Don't move", I said to her, sliding from underneath her arm.

I picked up the pistol from the cabinet and moved to the far corner of the room, where I peeked round the edge of the curtain.

There didn't seem to be anyone there. Still, I wasn't taking any chances. I open the door a crack, pistol by my hip.

The kid jumped as he saw me naked, then jumped again when he saw the gun.

"Uh, uh, I was told to bring your keys over", he stammered.

"You alone?"

"Yes, sir."

"You seen anything suspicious 'round here?"

The kid looked down at me and the gun.

"No sir, I don't get paid to notice anything, suspicious or otherwise."

"That's a good way to be. Alright, get in."

"I -- uh..."

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"I said get in. I ain't gonna ask you twice."

I stepped back and pushed open the door. He walked in and nearly fell over his tongue when he saw her in bed.

She was fully covered up to her neck, but there's something about a woman wearing nothing but a sheet that's more alluring than nothing at all. Well, some of the time.

"Now, sit down." I closed the door.

The kid perched himself on the edge of the bed.

"In the chair, god damnit."

The kid jumped up and practically leapt at the chair.

"Be nice", she said. "What did you invite him in for in the first place?"

"I just wanted to know if he'd seen anything."

"I already said, I ain't seen..."

"I know what you said, now I wanna know what you saw. Now", I said, perching on the bed, "you took the car to be cleaned."

"Yes, sir."

"Was anyone watching you?"

"Watching?"

"You know, watching. With their eyes. Did you see anyone taking a keen interest in the car, keener than you would usually take at a car wash?"

"No, sir."

"Did anyone follow you?"

"I -- I don't--"

"Did you see anyone more than once? Or perhaps not a person, perhaps a vehicle? Either someone you'd seen before or brand new? Maybe someone from the hotel?"

"Uh..."

"Think."

The kid took a minute. We all sat there in silence before he finally declared he hadn't.

"No, sir, nothing like that. And you were the last people to book in, as far as I know."

"As far as you know?"

"I don't handle the bookings, so someone could have arrived while I was out and I wouldn't know. But I've not seen anyone else around, and usually, I notice if a key is missing from the wall."

I studied him for a moment. Whether he was nervous because he was lying or because he was desperately trying not to stare at who was in the bed, I wasn't sure. My gut told me the latter, and I was inclined to agree, though my gut's told me a lot of things in the past.

"Alright", I said. "Watch him a minute." I tossed her the gun, and it landed on her covered belly. She reached out with one arm and took it, whilst the other kept the covers over the rest of her.

I headed to the connecting doors.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"To get my wallet", I said. "This outfit don't have pockets."

I went through into the other room, and the door swung closed behind me. I had no reason to suspect she needed the gun or that the kid was dangerous in any way. Still, it gave me a moment to consider a few things.

The first thing I considered was her purse. I popped it open as quietly as I could and a small plume of ash was expelled as if a tiny volcano was about to erupt.

I went through as quietly as I could, but there was only the standard womanly equipment. Lipstick, mascara, perfume, a coin purse, then at the bottom, a key.

It was rectangular and bronze, but there were no markings of any kind. I didn't know if this is what she had gone there to get or if this was something else altogether. Maybe it had nothing to do with anything.

"What are you doing in there?" She shouted.

"I can't find it", I said.

"It's on the table."

"I see it." I figured the best thing to do was to put the key back. Either she would tell me about it or she wouldn't. If she did, she could fill in the blanks that I had no way of filling, and if she didn't, well, I could always cut her loose and follow her trail wherever it may lead.

I returned the key to the bottom of the bag and closed it as quietly as possible, concealing the clip with a cough.

I returned to the room with a couple of bills in my hand and gave one to the kid.

"That's for making sure that if you see anything suspicious, anything at all, you let us know soon as."

"Yes, sir."

"And this", I said, handing him a second bill, "is for not seeing either of us, at all."

"You got it."

"Ok, now scoot."

He got up from the chair and went out the door, at which he paused and gave her a little wave before I slammed it shut.

"Getting friendly with the hired help?" I said.

"Jealous?" She asked, putting the gun back on the bedside cabinet.

"Not at all, just like to know who the competition is."

"Ther is no competition, and I'm no prize", she said, getting up, the covers still wrapped around her.

"You could have fooled me", I said. "Where you going?"

"To shower and get dressed, and I suggest you do the same."

She disappeared into the other room.

"You know I would only..."

The door opened and a pair of pants flew through the air and hit me in the face, followed by a jacket, shirt and undergarments.

"A shower it is", I said, dumping the clothes on the bed and heading for the bathroom.